Members of the public were today encouraged to play their part in the protection and improvement of Northern Ireland waterways.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) will be holding a series of Water Information Days which will provide the public with an opportunity to speak to NIEA staff about draft River Basin Plans to improve the water environment.

Environment Minister Sammy Wilson said: “I would urge members of the public to attend the Information Days and have their say on the future plans for Northern Ireland waters. It is in all our interests that we collectively take on the responsibility for the care of our water to ensure we get the water environment we deserve.

“River Basin Planning is about taking an integrated approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use of the water environment, from source to sea. The plans aim to provide a clean and healthy water environment and to deliver considerable benefits for all the people of Northern Ireland.

“We all depend on our water environment, whether as the source of our drinking water, for recreational use, for agricultural or business purposes and to attract tourists.”

The information days are scheduled to take place in:

March 25 – Helen’s Bay: Crawfordsburn Country Park, Bridge Road South, 2-8pm
April 1 – Ballymena: Ecos Centre, Broughshane Road, 2-8pm
April 8 – Londonderry: Loughs Agency, Victoria Road, 2-8pm
April 22 – Portrush: The Coastal Zone, Bath Road, 2-8pm
April 29 – Irvinestown: Castle Archdale Country Park, 2-8pm
May 6 – Dungannon: Peatlands Park, Derryhubbert Road, 2-8pm

Members of the public attending the information days should also alert the Agency to any community-run initiatives they are involved in that may help protect and improve waterways.

They will be encouraged to search a new interactive web map to find out more about local rivers, lakes, coastal waters and ground-water. This exciting resource will provide teachers and students with new methods of data collection.

Discussions will also centre on how insects can be used as indicators of water pollution.

Factsheets on local water management will also be made available which can be used in classrooms by teachers delivering ‘Physical Process’ at GCSE or ‘Environment and Society’ at Key Stage 3.

The Causeway Coast Surf Club will host the Circle One Irish National Surfing Championships at East Strand, Portrush, Co Antrim on the 7/8 March supported by Coleraine Borough Council, Ocean Warriors Surf Shop and Monster Energy Drinks.  Eight national titles will be awarded at the event in the following categories- Open Surf, Women’s Surf, Longboard, Bodyboard, Women’s Bodyboard, Senior (over 27), Master (over 35), SUP.

The event is the first of two selection events for the Denny Irish Surf Team to compete at the World Surfing Games in Costa Rica in August and the European Surfing Championships in Jersey in September. The Denny Irish Junior Surf Team will be training at the event prior to their departure for the World Junior Surfing Championships taking place in Ecuador at the end of March.

Current Irish Champion, Cain Kilcullen will be making his way from Enniscrone, Co Sligo to defend his coveted title. In the Women’s event attention will be on Easkey Britton, Rossnowlagh, Co Donegal, who will be competing for her fifth consecutive national title. Local knowledge will no doubt work to Easley’s advantage, as a final year student at Coleraine University, Easkey has been living and surfing in Portrush for the past three so will be well acquainted with surfing conditions at East Strand. Easkey’s main challenge is expected to come from Nicole Morgan, Bundoran, Co Donegal, the 2008 the UK Women’s Pro Tour Champion.

Local surfer, John Mc Curry will be defending his Irish Longboard title while in the Bodyboard divisions, Paul Mc Carter, Bundoran will have to see off tough challenges in the form of his brother, Darragh (2007 National Champion), Sligo’s Shane Meehan (ranked 7th in the World in 2008) and local favourite, Martin Kelly, Coleraine. Ashleigh Smith, Strandhill is expected once again to dominate the Women’s bodyboard event.

John Britton, Rossnowlagh will be defending the Senior title (over 27) and Stevie Burns, Portrush will be defending the Masters (over 35) title. Stand Up Paddle was included as a division in the Irish Championships for the first time in 2008, with Emmet O’Doherty, Bundoran taking the inaugural SUP title. No doubt Emmet will be intent on retaining the title again this year

In conjunction with Championships, Dubsurf, a Volkswagen showcase event will be taking place from 12-4pm on Sunday the 8th March at East Strand, Portrush while UCC medical student, Clodagh Murphy will be conducting research on the prevalence of exostosis or surfers ear among participants at the event. The event will also see visiting Contest Director, Peter Cook, of the recent World Junior Surfing championships in France in 2008.  Peter will work closely with top surfers from the Irish National Squad on the two days preceding the event at East Strand where he will examine the overall site and facilities with the view to hosting the European Junior Surfing Championships in 2010.

SDLP Omagh Town Councillor Dr Josephine Deehan has said the closure of In-patient care services in Tyrone County Hospital could cost lives.

Speaking at last night’s vigil at the hospital she said: “I think when history looks back at this decision, it will be illustrated that this was a wrong decision and it really does represent a huge injustice to the people of Omagh and West Tyrone.

“Unfortunately, our people may pay for that with their lives.”

Speaking during Assembly Question time yesterday, SDLP Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tommy Gallagher got confirmation that funding arrangements for the new hospital at Omagh are in place.

Mr Gallagher said: “From the answer obtained from the Health Minister it now appears that there will be no delay in the timescale of the project. It remains on course for completion in 2013.

“The good news for all of the south-west is that the new Enniskillen hospital also remains on time for completion in 2012.

“In a week of gloom for people in the Omagh area, there will be some reassurance from this news. The hospital is expected to be ready in 2013.

“However, there is much work to be done to ensure that services are satisfactory in the interim period.”

Emergency medical Supplies (EMS) Magherafelt are taking bookings for

Emergency First Aid Course 25 March and 1 April, The course will run from 7pm to 9pm on each evening

First Aid at Work course 1,8,15 and 22 May, The course will run from 9am to 4.30pm each day

Paeds EFA course 24 and 31 March. The course will run from 7pm to 9pm on each evening

If you would like to book a place, please call EMS on 028 7930 1333

Jacqui
Training Coordinator

Emergency Medical Supplies
028 793 01333 or 07802 940 313

Wednesday, 4 March, 2009: President of Ireland, Mary McAleese will today (Wednesday, 4 March) visit NUI Galway to officially launch the UNESCO Chair for Children, Youth and Civic Engagement.  The UNESCO Chair is the first awarded in the Republic of Ireland, and President McAleese described it as a ‘fitting endorsement by peers worldwide of the important work that is being done at NUI Galway to help solve the real problems experienced by young people and families in our communities’.

The Chair is hosted at the Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC) in the University’s School of Political Science and Sociology.  Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the CFRC, with over 20 years experience in family support, policy and research, is the Chairholder.

Referencing writer John McGahern at the launch, Professor Dolan told an audience of over 200 guests: “While many young people thrive during childhood, others sadly do not experience life as good or safe and some more tragically can say they rarely have a ‘calm journey through the day’”.

Professor Dolan said that supporting children who experience adversity and disadvantage through encouraging civic participation had crucial benefits in terms of improved self-esteem, self-efficacy and wellbeing.  He said: “I have come to the conclusion, that civically engaging children and youth produces benefits for all children.  Particularly in the case of children who are experiencing severe difficulties, their civic engagement can lead to significant improvement and help rebuild key relationships in their lives”.

Koïchiro Matsuura, Director–General of UNESCO has said: “NUI Galway has a longstanding commitment to civic engagement.  The creation of this Chair is an opportunity to expand and share this expertise for the benefit of children and young people everywhere, in particular the most vulnerable and marginalised.

Funded under the UNESCO University Education Twinning and Networking Scheme, the programme of work associated with the Chair, will focus on an exchange of learning among international University partners and affiliated centres for children, which work on civic engagement programmes in countries including Bulgaria, Lithuania and Zambia.

NUI Galway’s President, Dr James J. Browne, speaking at the launch, said: NUI Galway is particularly honoured to be awarded the first UNESCO Chair in the Republic of Ireland.  The establishment of a formal mechanism for knowledge creation and exchange in the area of Children, Youth and Civic Engagement across, and between, institutions of higher education and non-governmental organisations particularly with developing countries and countries in transition will bring a new dimension to the work of the University.  We look forward to fruitful cooperation with UNESCO and are delighted to have this opportunity to enhance the role of the University in building civil society partnerships”.

Professor Dolan’s team will work with two key partners in Ireland: the Community Knowledge Initiative at NUI Galway, a forum through which the University plays a leading role in the development of civic leadership skills in students.  The second partner is Foróige, Ireland’s leading voluntary youth organisation, whose CEO Seán Campbell said: “This is indeed a proud day for Ireland”.  He added “I am certain that the meeting of theory, practice and policy that will result from this partnership will transform the lives of young people the world over”.

Wind, wave and tidal energy will create jobs

BWEA, UK’s leading renewable energy trade association, welcomed the Prime Minister’s endorsement today of the enormous potential of renewable energy to create employment in the UK. Studies published by BWEA in October 2008, concluded that wind, wave and tidal energy projects could drive job creation and stimulate sectors of the economy crucial to delivering the country’s 2020 renewable energy targets.

Maria McCaffery, BWEA Chief Executive, said: “The research we conducted in 2008 gave us a clear indication that wind, wave and tidal energy will become an economic powerhouse not only in terms of energy output, but in terms of employment and the beneficial effect on related sectors. We are delighted that the Prime Minister has now recognised this and are looking forward to concrete measures to bring this about.”

The report commissioned by BWEA from Bain and Co. in late 2008 reiterated that “the wind industry is now established as one of the highest-growth industries in Europe, growing at an average rate of 12 percent over the last 5 years.”  The conclusions of the report also urged policy makers not to repeat the mistakes of the early phase of development, when the UK was not agile enough in securing sector jobs domestically.

The accompanying report delivered by SQW went even further in surveying the skills landscape, in terms of what skills will be in demand, and how potential skills shortages will be resolved.

“In these difficult economic times there is a sense that renewable energy is the way forward. Wind energy in the UK has yet to be developed to its full potential, so that the country as a whole can benefit. We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement, which chimes with what the BWEA has been saying for years – it is now important for the Government to follow up words with actions,” concluded McCaffery.

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has condemned attacks on members of the Western Trust which caused significant disruption to yesterday’s (Thursday) Trust  board meeting in Omagh.

The Minister said: “The disgraceful behaviour of the protestors at the Western Trust’s board meeting should be condemned by everyone.

“I do not dispute the rights of people to make their views known and to have their voices heard.  However, it is simply not acceptable to attack people who are carrying out their work.

“We have a ‘zero tolerance’ response to verbal and physical attacks on healthcare and emergency staff and such assaults are rightly criticised by the public.  There is no justification for assaulting health and social care staff, regardless of whether they work on the frontline or in management.”